In Tenerife, it is widely known that the North and the South parts of the island are very different. If you look at the map you’ll notice that most snorkeling places are on the South of the island, this has a simple explanation, warm currents from the gulf create bigger waves on the northern side of the island which makes most places bad for snorkeling not only because of the risk of collision with rocks but also with the reduced visibility that moving the bottom of the ocean creates.
In this article, you can find some of Tralei’s recommended beaches to snorkel in Tenerife where you will be able to spot many of the unique marine species found on the island. If you want to check out all of the fauna that you can see while snorkeling in Tenerife make sure to check our article that covers the Marine Species in the Canary Islands
1. Charco de la Pasión
in Puerto Santiago
This beach can be accessed through stairs right next to the promenade and is full of sea life.
It is well protected from waves as big rocks act as a natural barrier that prevents big waves from entering. The rock formations also create different pools and small caves.
In this place, we have spotted multiple small common fishes, but also Octopuses and Moray Eels
2. Montaña Amarilla
Montaña Amarilla it’s a great place not only for the beauty of the marine bottom but also for the beauty of the surface. It is found on the bottom of a volcanic cone and the erosion has left some curious yellowish shapes. This can be also found underwater creating caves and walls all around.
You can find a picture from the map of the area in the gallery.
3. Pal Mar
Pal-Mar is a luxury urbanization that is close to Los Cristianos, only separated by big cliff walls that drop as deep as 25 meters. In this area, you can often swim with turtles, although you’ll need to swim for a while and there are usually big boats surrounding the area so we highly recommend going with an orange buoy to be seen. Another option is renting a kayak or a paddle surf. That way you’ll be able to go further and be seen by larger boats.
If you do wear a visible bouy the best option is to walk till the start of the cliff in playa de La Arenita and get to the water there rather than starting on the beach.
4. Playa De Ajabo,
Callao Salvaje
Callao Salvaje is not a very well-known beach but there is plenty of sea life really close to the shore, including a couple of green sea turtles.
All this can be found on the left side of the beach, the turtles are normally found between the shore and a small rock island 30 meters on the water.
Note that turtles get easily stressed by human presence so please maintain a safe distance from them as they need to go up to the surface every few minutes to breathe. And of course, never touch them or feed them.
5. Sunken Excavator
This excavator is found at around 10 meters deep in the town of Callao Salvaje and it can be seen from the surface. In other to find the beach and your way in the water we wrote a separate article.
6. Sunken Ship
This sunken ship can be found 18 meters to 35 meters under sea level which requires some level of knowledge in apnea if you want to get close to it. During clear days and low tides, it is possible to see a bit of it from the surface.
In order to get to the ship you just need to go to Tabaiba’s pool and take the stairs to enter the water. From there keep going on a straight line until you almost get to the yellow buoys. There you’ll see another bouy on the water, from there you should be able to go down and look at the ship which is right in front of it.
7. Radazul
Radazul is really close to Tabaiba’s sunken ship, but if you plan to visit both places at the same time make sure that you either use the walkway or swim between both beaches, as driving from these places which are 300 meters apart will take you about 15 minutes as there is no direct road connecting them.
What makes Radazul special is that it has been artificially made with big rocks so the beach gets some depth quickly and the water is often very clear. It is also easily accessible, with sun loungers, and spaces to rest on the black sand. Great place for beginners and for people who want to practice Apnea.
8. Punta De Teno
Punta de Teno is on the westernmost tip of Tenerife.
It features a beautiful lighthouse (currently closed to visitors), clean waters, and a very calm sea which creates great visibility, which is why it is one of the top places and less-known places for snorkeling in Tenerife.
By car, the access road to Punta de Teno is only open until 9 A.M. or after 8 P.M. Monday to Thursday (10 A.M. to 7 P.M. in winter). If not going during those hours you will need to take the 369 bus line, which costs 1 euro each way, and leaves approximately every hour from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. from Buenavista Station.
To check the entire schedule click here.
9. Abades
Abades is a small town that features 3 small sand beaches, the main one being Los Abrigos Beach. This beach is often frequented by diving centers because of the diverse marine species that can be found, including green sea turtles.
The beach is well protected from currents and waves by the reef so normally the sea is calm even when there are windy conditions, which are normal in this area.
We want to note that although spotting green and Loggerhead sea turtles is common, they are often further from the coast, and diving for +10 meters is often required. We also want to remind you that you should never feed, touch, or disturb turtles and that you should keep a respectful distance when observing.
If you think we forgot to mention anything, don’t hesitate to write in the comment section!
Thank you for reading!
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